


Love You Like the Movies

by itsnotreallyme



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff and Angst, joan and zoey are totally in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:01:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25703233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsnotreallyme/pseuds/itsnotreallyme
Summary: It's one year after Zoey's dad passed away and Joan helps her navigate her feelings.
Relationships: Zoey Clarke/Joan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	Love You Like the Movies

“UGH!” Joan heard Zoey cry from across the office, looking up from her desk just in time to see Zoey throw her pen across the room and put her head in her hands. She had noticed Zoey becoming more irritable in the past week, and she was pretty sure she knew what was bothering her girlfriend. Joan got up and walked over to the younger woman.

“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” She asked in what she hoped was a soothing voice.

“Nothing! I’m fine. Just my stupid pen isn’t working even thought I _just_ _bought_ a new pack of pens!” Zoey all but shouted. Thankfully, the floor was fairly empty today. Everyone else had also noticed Zoey’s growing irritability and were working elsewhere to avoid being the target of her bad mood.

“Come on.” Joan grabbed Zoey’s hand and started leading her away from her desk and towards the women’s bathroom. The floor may be emptier than usual, but Joan felt Zoey would need some privacy. Sometimes being the only women on the floor had its perks.

“I told you, I’m fine.I just need a new pen!” Zoey insisted as the bathroom door closed behind the pair.

“No, you’re not. This isn’t about a pen and we both know it. You’ve been angry for a week.” Joan rebounded. Her face melted at the way her girlfriend’s eyes started to fill with tears. She extended her arms in invitation for a hug and Zoey all but fell into the woman’s arms, tears falling freely down her cheeks.

“It’s alright. Let it out. I’ve got you.” Joan spoke softly, stroking Zoey’s hair softly as Zoey sobbed into her chest.

“I’m sorry.” Zoey whispered after her sobs calmed.

“Hey, don’t apologize. I know you miss him.” Joan soothed. Zoey still seemed upset so Joan tried another tactic.

“Do you know what I did on my mom’s anniversary? I screamed and snapped at everyone for a week, then would go home and drink an entire bottle of wine. I had just started here so I’m pretty sure most of my reputation as a hardass comes from those few days.” That managed to extract a soft laugh from Zoey. Encouraged, Joan continued.

“You’re allowed to feel however you feel right now. You don’t need to apologize. I will be right here with you the whole way.” Zoey snuggled into Joan a little more at that before whispering,

“Thank you.” After a few deep breaths and one last squeeze, Zoey stepped back from Joan and started wiping the last tears off her face. Joan handed her a tissue and Zoey smiled appreciatively. After she was cleaned up, Zoey looked up at her girlfriend.

“Thank you.”

“You already said that,” Joan laughed.

“Well I mean it.” Joan gave Zoey one last hug.

“You’re welcome. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Zoey gave Joan a quick kiss, straightened up and said,

“I should probably get back out there.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just go home. I’ll finish up here and be over soon. Get into your comfiest pyjamas and I’ll be right there.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. Now go!” Zoey left the bathroom, grabbed her stuff and headed home, confused but grateful to have such an understanding girlfriend. Joan, on the other hand, jumped into action as soon as the elevator doors closed on the redhead. Her plan had originally been for tomorrow, the one year anniversary of Zoey’s dad passing, but plans sometimes need to be rearranged. Joan ran back to her office to finish up the file she was working on. She wanted to get home. Ten minutes later she was out the door and heading home. She had a girlfriend to comfort.

“Zoey? I’m home!”

“In here!” Zoey shouted from the bedroom. She was sitting on the bed, in her pyjamas, playing sudoku on her phone. Upon seeing Joan enter the room, Zoey put her phone down and watched her girlfriend as she quickly shed her work clothes and also got into her pjs.

“Ok. Now go sit on the couch while I go to the kitchen.” Assuming she would figure out what was going on soon, Zoey did as she was told. Joan first stopped at the linen closet to grab the basket she had hid there a few days ago. (Zoey never went in the linen closet.) She continued on her way to the kitchen to warm milk for hot chocolate and to begin popping a very large bowl of popcorn. While the popcorn was popping, Joan took an extra fluffy blanket to Zoey on the couch in the living room. Zoey gave her a quizzical look, but said nothing. After putting the popcorn, two hot chocolates, and the remaining items from the basket on a tray, Joan re-entered the living room.

“What’s all this?” Zoey finally asked.

“Well, this was supposed to be for tomorrow-” a shadow passed over Zoey’s face at the mention of the day “-but I figured you needed it today. There was something else I did on the anniversary for my mom that I didn’t mention earlier. It was an idea that I got from a family friend. She suggested I do something that my mom loved doing, or something we did together. My version was spending the day reading my mom’s all time favorite book and eating frosted animal crackers. I know that you and your dad loved watching movies together, so I got some dvds, popcorn, and hot chocolate for our own movie night.” Zoey gaped at her girlfriend, surprised and deeply touched with everything Joan was doing for her. Zoey must have stayed quiet for too long because Joan suddenly started babbling,

“I mean, only if you want, we don’t have to. Forget I even said-” Joan was cut off by Zoey’s lips on hers and Zoey’s hands on either side of her face. Joan quickly kissed back and wrapped her arms around Zoey.

“This is perfect.” Joan breathed a sigh of relief.

“So what movies do you have for us this afternoon?”

“I’ve got some movie called _The Core_ and the first season of Star Trek: Voyager.”

“How did you know?”

“I asked your mom. She said your favorite movie to watch with you dad was _The Core_ so you two could make fun of it the whole way through.”

“It’s so bad!” Zoey laughed. “Wait- have you never seen it?” Joan shook her head. “You’ve got to see this! Put it in and get over here!” Zoey declared, enthusiastically patting the couch cushion next to her. Joan smiled at her girlfriend’s antics and did as she was told, happy that Zoey was feeling better.

Two hours later, Joan and Zoey are both sitting on the edge of their seats, ranting to each other about the atrocious writing/science in _The Core_ as the credits roll across the screen in front of them.

“It’s the stupidest movie I’ve ever seen! I can’t believe you’ve never seen it before!” Zoey declared, scooping up the empty popcorn bowl and their empty hot chocolate mugs to refill them in the kitchen. Joan stood up and followed her girlfriend into the kitchen.

“I was never that into watching movies _because_ they are stupid. That is a new concept to me, but I’m glad you’ve introduced me. That was a lot of fun!” Joan enthused as she reached for the popcorn kernels in the cupboard and began making more popcorn. Zoey had already poured the milk into a saucepan to warm for more hot chocolate, and the couple fell into a comfortable silence while they focused on their tasks.

After a few moments of stirring the warming milk, Zoey hears music start playing. She looks up but Joan is still standing a few feet away from her, watching the popcorn cook. A few seconds later, she looks over at Zoey and begins to sing.

**“** **Friday night, date night**

**I say "Pick out what you like"**

**I don't care as long as you're here**

**Surprise, surprise. Ain't that nice**

**Same old chick flick, Eighteenth time**

**You know the one with that guy”**

_“Well, it wasn’t a chick flick but yeah.”_ Zoey muses. The song is one that Zoey has never heard before, but that really isn’t that surprising.

**“Half way through, look at you**

**Smiling like you always do**

**And I can't help but just stare**

**'Cause suddenly, it hits me**

**As I watch you make believe**

**I want to make this your reality**

**And if you'll be my leading lady**

**Even though I may look crazy”**

Through this, Joan has been standing still, gently watching Zoey. However, here the music seems to change and Joan explodes into movement around the small kitchen.

**“I'll grab your hand, ask you to dance**

**In the middle of the street**

**Learn to sign, cheesy lines**

**Like "Baby, you complete me"**

**And in case you forget**

**Where we've been and what we did**

**I'll write it all down, read it out loud**

**Again and again**

**I promise if you let me**

**I'll love you like the movies”**

Zoey chuckles, bringing her fist to her mouth to muffle her laughter. Joan can’t see her, but it still feels wrong to be laughing at her when she isn’t even aware of what Zoey can see her doing.

**“Now I've never been one of them**

**Guys who could be leading men**

**Just never seemed all that real**

**But here right now**

**With you somehow**

**The kind of love they write about**

**Is the kind of love that I'm starting to feel”**

At this Zoey felt herself start to melt. She knew Joan loved her, but it was still nice to hear in a song. Now, Joan reaches out and grabs Zoey’s hand and they begin dancing together around the kitchen.

**“So I grab your hand, ask you to dance**

**In the middle of the street**

**Learn to sign, cheesy lines**

**Like "Baby, you complete me"**

**And in case you forget**

**Where we've been and what we did**

**I'll write it all down, read it out loud**

**Again and again**

**I promise if you let me**

**I'll love you like the movies**

**Like Noah loved Allie**

**Like Harry loved Sally**

**Like Richard loved Julia**

**Like Tom loved Meg**

**And the way he loved that volleyball**

**The way Demi Moore loved that ghost**

**The way Jack loved Rose**

**I'll never let it go, never let it go**

**Never let it go!**

**I'll never let go!**

**If you'll be my leading lady**

**Even though I may look crazy”**

Joan and Zoey had stopped dancing and were standing in the middle of the room clutching the other’s hands, staring into each other’s eyes. Without warning, the music erupted once again.

**“I grab your hand, ask you to dance**

**In the middle of the street**

**Learn to sign, cheesy lines**

**Like "Baby, you complete me."**

**And in case you forget**

**Where we've been and what we did**

**I'll write it all down, read it out loud**

**Again and again**

**Close your eyes, arms out wide**

**"I'm the king of the world."**

**Carpet ride, starry nights**

**There's no way I don't kiss the girl**

**And in case you forget**

**Where we've been and what we did**

**I'll write it all down, read it out loud**

**Again and again”**

Zoey could tell the song was winding down, and Joan started making her way back to her place in front of the popcorn, so Zoey made her way back towards the hot chocolate. Joan let out one last line, looking right at Zoey.

**“I promise if you let me**

**I'll love you like the movies”**

For a moment, all Zoey could do was stare at Joan after the song had ended. God _damn_ she loved this woman. She was pulled out of her trance by a yelp and Joan quickly reaching over to turn the burner off from under the milk which had started to boil over while Zoey wasn’t paying attention.

“Oh sorry! I was...distracted.” Zoey mumbled while she pulled the pot off the heat and waited for the waterline (milkline?) to recede so she could pour the chocolate-y goodness into their mugs.

“Are you okay? We don’t have to start Voyager if you don’t want to. I know it’s been a long day. I mean, all this was meant for tomorrow so we could pick this back up then if you’re not feeling up to it.” Joan rambled, worry for her girlfriend spiking again.

“No! I want to watch _Voyager_ with you, definitely.” Zoey said with a wide, goofy smile on her face. Joan looked at her suspiciously.

“What’s going on?”

“I love you”

“I love you, too.” Joan answered slowly.

“Wait, did I just sing to you or something?” At Zoey’s emphatic nodding, Joan sighed. “Today was supposed to be about you, not me singing. Hopefully it wasn’t too embarrassing.”

“Well that depends on if you find it embarrassing that you love me. You sang me a song about loving me like the love stories in the movies. I don’t think I recognized most of the references, but it was really cute anyway.” Zoey informed her girlfriend. Joan’s face melted into a small smile Zoey and only Zoey ever got to see.

“It’s true.”

“Right back at ‘ya. Now let’s move this back into the living room and get a move on our _Voyager_ marathon!” Joan shook her head at her girlfriend’s antics and followed Zoey back to the couch.

This may not have been her original plan, and it may have been moved up a day, but Joan was happy it worked nonetheless. She knows Zoey will always miss her dad, but it’s nice to help her forget her troubles for a few hours. Joan wished she could have had someone around for her when she was going through all this with her mom, but at least she could be there for Zoey. She would stand by her through everything. She really does love her like the movies.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated--let me know what you think!


End file.
